Bill Tiernan | The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot

Sen. John McCain speaks Monday, joined by his wife, Cindy; running mate Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd; and Hank Williams Jr.

Stephen M. Katz | The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot

John McCain and Sarah Palin show their appreciation to supporters following a campaign stop Monday at the Virginia Beach Conference Center.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Republican John McCain pledged to fight for a new direction for the country in an energetic new campaign stump speech Monday that sought to distance him from the economic policies of President Bush.

"We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight: waiting for our luck to change," McCain said while campaigning in Hampton Roads with running mate Sarah Palin in this once reliably Republican state that has become a battleground this year. "The hour is late; our troubles are getting worse; our enemies watch. We have to act immediately. We have to change direction now."

The Arizona senator said he understood Americans' concerns about the deepening financial crisis, even as fears about the meltdown have moved voters firmly in Democrat Barack Obama's direction in recent weeks.

The repudiation of the Republican incumbent's economic policies came as McCain has struggled to find a message that would reverse his sagging poll results nationally and in some battleground states.

McCain's retooled pitch came in Hampton Roads, a part of the state that polls suggest could determine who wins Virginia's 13 electoral votes. Southwest Virginia is polling solidly for McCain and Northern Virginia solidly for Obama.

It also comes as Republican campaign veterans say McCain needs to do more than just attack Obama in an economic environment that favors Democrats.

Obama leads in enough states to be within reach of the 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory, while McCain is being forced to defend Republican turf where polls show the race close. That's partly because of Obama's well-funded onslaught of TV ads and extensive network of field troops registering and canvassing voters. McCain trails on both fronts.

It was a measure of McCain's troubles that he was campaigning Monday, just three weeks before the election, in Virginia and later in North Carolina, both normally solid for the GOP nominee but in play this year.

McCain acknowledged Obama's lead in the polls. "The national media has written us off," McCain added. "But they forgot to let you decide.

"What America needs in this hour is a fighter," he said, adding that he knew Americans were worried about the direction of the country.

He renewed his pledge to freeze federal spending, renegotiate distressed mortgages to help middle class homeowners, and cut taxes. He also vowed to bring more experienced leadership to the White House, because "the next president won't have time to get used to the office."

Neither McCain nor Palin has campaigned in Southwest Virginia, but campaign spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said Monday "we are hopeful" of making a visit to the region.

Later Monday, however, Palin drew more than 20,000 to a rally outside Richmond International Raceway, where she charged up the sign-waving crowd by drawing contrasts between McCain and Obama on taxes, energy policy, the war in Iraq and other issues.

She also charged that her Democratic rivals are more interested in assigning blame for the nation's economic problems than offering solutions.

"Do you notice that our opponents sure spend a heck of a lot of time looking to the past and pointing fingers?" Palin said. "They look to the past because that's where you find blame, and we're joining you in looking to the future because that's where you find solutions."

Palin also acknowledged that voters are angry about economic conditions and the performance of their government.

"There's anger about the insider dealing of lobbyists, and there's anger at the greed of Wall Street and there's anger about the arrogance of the Washington elite and there is anger about voter fraud," said Palin, adding that McCain "will turn that anger into action."

Palin confined her criticism of Obama to policy issues, from his voting record on tax policy to his statements about the Iraq war.

"Just once I would love to hear Barack Obama say he wants America to win" in Iraq, said Palin, whose oldest son is in the U.S. Army.

Palin also vowed that she and McCain will be advocates for special needs children. Palin earlier this year gave birth to a son with Down syndrome.

"When I learned that my son Trig would have special needs, I had to prepare my heart for the challenges that were to come," Palin said. "I didn't know what to expect, and to tell you the truth, at first I was scared."

Palin said she and McCain "want to make sure that families who have loved ones with special needs have the support that they need."

Staff writer Michael Sluss contributed to this report.